Carlos Alcaraz had a tough start to his Laver Cup debut, losing in doubles alongside Alexander Zverev to Team World’s Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton. The American duo claimed a 7-6 (7/5), 6-4 victory, evening the tie at 2-2 on the opening day in Berlin.
Fritz and Shelton showcased impressive form, hitting 20 winners against the world’s second-ranked Zverev and third-ranked Alcaraz. Fritz, fresh from his runner-up finish at the US Open, praised Shelton’s strong serving under pressure.
Earlier, Francisco Cerundolo put Team World ahead with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Casper Ruud, before Stefanos Tsitsipas and Grigor Dimitrov won their matches to give Team Europe a brief lead. Three singles and a doubles match await on Saturday as Team World aims for their third consecutive Laver Cup win.
